2014 DRAFT CHAT

[brett05]

They're apparently heavy on prep righty Jack Flaherty with their second pick. 18-year-old, stands at 6'4", 205 lbs. Average fastball, an above average changeup with good arm speed and nice fade, an average curveball, and an average slider. He has good control, throwing lots of strikes, but his command is a bit behind. Understandable, he's 18.

It seems like at his size, he could potentially add velocity and make that a plus pitch. A four pitch mix with the ability to throw them for strikes sounds awfully enticing out of prep pitcher, as well. Committed to pitch at North Carolina. He'd certainly need an overslot bonus to sign.

Little tidbit: He goes to Harvard-Westlake High School in California, alma mater of 2012 first round picks Lucas Giolito and Max Fried, both pitchers.

So a five year project

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[chibears55]

Originally Posted by Jeffrey Lebowski View Post

They're apparently heavy on prep righty Jack Flaherty with their second pick. 18-year-old, stands at 6'4", 205 lbs. Average fastball, an above average changeup with good arm speed and nice fade, an average curveball, and an average slider. He has good control, throwing lots of strikes, but his command is a bit behind. Understandable, he's 18.

It seems like at his size, he could potentially add velocity and make that a plus pitch. A four pitch mix with the ability to throw them for strikes sounds awfully enticing out of prep pitcher, as well. Committed to pitch at North Carolina. He'd certainly need an overslot bonus to sign.

Little tidbit: He goes to Harvard-Westlake High School in California, alma mater of 2012 first round picks Lucas Giolito and Max Fried, both pitchers.

So a five year project

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yea, I don't think they'll use a 2nd rd pick and extra slot money on a HS pitcher unless they plan on saving more money there..
youd think theyd use that pick and some of the extra money on nabbing the best available close to ready pitcher

 

[CSF77]

So a five year project

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I'm not too concerned from the draft regarding pitching. They have focused on depth and what ever pans out while trading for other teams quality arms.

I would rather have them use Castro to get a teams's quality arm that has a few years of the minors under his belt vs drafting a arm that may never make it.

Case in point is Ramirez: On the team. Edwards DL but best arm. Hendricks probable the best starter in the system.
Draft picks: Johnson middle of the rotation.

There is nothing wrong with building team depth in the draft but it is riskier to draft pitching with high picks than hitting.

If Baez and Alcantara promote this year and they use Castro to get a return like Manny Banuelos from the Yanks. Manny was the top LH arm a few yeas back and is in AA now.

Which means him, Johnson and Edwards would be at the same level with Viz closing games. Next year they would be in Iowa together while Hendricks is in his Rookie year.

So having depth is fine. Never know if a gem pops up. But with arms falling off like they are nothing wrong with building from volume.

 

[beckdawg]

yea, I don't think they'll use a 2nd rd pick and extra slot money on a HS pitcher unless they plan on saving more money there..
youd think theyd use that pick and some of the extra money on nabbing the best available close to ready pitcher

Not sure that's the case. Generally the point in saving money by going under slot is to draft a high schooler and convince them not to go to college by giving them over slot. J.B. Bukauskas is one name I've heard as a possibility.

 

[chibears55]

Not sure that's the case. Generally the point in saving money by going under slot is to draft a high schooler and convince them not to go to college by giving them over slot. J.B. Bukauskas is one name I've heard as a possibility.

I dont disagree...
I just feel if their looking to nab a close to ready pitcher it would be in 2nd RD.
Of course, they can go the route of drafting kids projected late in Rds or next Rd and getting them to agree on taking less in order yo get them all signed..

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[theberserkfury]

Flaherty's gone... damn Cards.

 

[beckdawg]

I dont disagree...
I just feel if their looking to nab a close to ready pitcher it would be in 2nd RD.
Of course, they can go the route of drafting kids projected late in Rds or next Rd and getting them to agree on taking less in order yo get them all signed..

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My opinion is they should just go best available. Presumably you're going to get higher level prospects back for trade pieces. So, if you think a current HS pitcher will be a top 10 pick in 2 years and you can get that guy at 45, go for it.

What I'm wondering is the thought process behind Schwarber. Between Baez, Bryant Schwarber and Soler the cubs have 4 prospects with 65 or higher grades in power. That's 4 potential 30+ HR guys. That's a hell of a lot of power. And that's before you consider Rizzo likely has 30 HR power too. Its clear they put a premium on power. On the contrary, they don't have a lot of top of the order type hitters in. Perhaps Alcantara can and will be one but there's question of position with him. Hopefully Almora gets there and is one. I don't think Castro is one. It's just an interesting aspect because you're also unlikely to get a top of the order hitter out of C.

 

[chibears55]

What I'm wondering is the thought process behind Schwarber. Between Baez, Bryant Schwarber and Soler the cubs have 4 prospects with 65 or higher grades in power. That's 4 potential 30+ HR guys. That's a hell of a lot of power. And that's before you consider Rizzo likely has 30 HR power too. Its clear they put a premium on power. On the contrary, they don't have a lot of top of the order type hitters in. Perhaps Alcantara can and will be one but there's question of position with him. Hopefully Almora gets there and is one. I don't think Castro is one. It's just an interesting aspect because you're also unlikely to get a top of the order hitter out of C.

If they move baez to 3B and Bryant to RF, then they have power hitters at all 4 corner spots.
My guess schwarber and Soler could compete for LF..

Even if they keep Castro at SS, they still have 2B snd CF to fill the leadoff spot with


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[CSF77]

My opinion is they should just go best available. Presumably you're going to get higher level prospects back for trade pieces. So, if you think a current HS pitcher will be a top 10 pick in 2 years and you can get that guy at 45, go for it.

What I'm wondering is the thought process behind Schwarber. Between Baez, Bryant Schwarber and Soler the cubs have 4 prospects with 65 or higher grades in power. That's 4 potential 30+ HR guys. That's a hell of a lot of power. And that's before you consider Rizzo likely has 30 HR power too. Its clear they put a premium on power. On the contrary, they don't have a lot of top of the order type hitters in. Perhaps Alcantara can and will be one but there's question of position with him. Hopefully Almora gets there and is one. I don't think Castro is one. It's just an interesting aspect because you're also unlikely to get a top of the order hitter out of C.

I'm guessing they are going to be looking to trade Castro this year and Lake soon after. Olt if he ever adapts to the league.

They were place holders.

I can see a line up in 3 years
2B: Alcantara
CF: Almora
1B: Rizzo
SS: Baez
3B: Bryant
LF: Schwarber
RF: Soler
C: Castillo

 

[SilenceS]

I'm guessing they are going to be looking to trade Castro this year and Lake soon after. Olt if he ever adapts to the league.

They were place holders.

I can see a line up in 3 years
2B: Alcantara
CF: Almora
1B: Rizzo
SS: Baez
3B: Bryant
LF: Schwarber
RF: Soler
C: Castillo

They would be more inclined to trade one of their prospects over Castro. They arent keeping all potential OF's. No one knows if Baez and Bryant can stick at their positions and Soler needs to stay healthy and Almora isnt tearing up high A. Getting way to ahead of ourselves.

 

[theberserkfury]

Jake Stinnett at #45

 

[chibears55]

Jake Stinnett at #45

Close to ready college pitcher.. ; ))

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[CSF77]

They would be more inclined to trade one of their prospects over Castro. They arent keeping all potential OF's. No one knows if Baez and Bryant can stick at their positions and Soler needs to stay healthy and Almora isnt tearing up high A. Getting way to ahead of ourselves.

Depends on the return. If the Yanks come calling post Jeter and offer a plus arm or 2 the Cubs are going to talk it over.

Baez has improved his D this year and he has 40 HR potential. That is fact.

Almora has GG D. Fla league is off and on with the rain and is not a hitters league. Even Vogy has struggled there.

Lake is another. No one knows how good he will become. When he gets a hold of one there is no doubt. But he is still a question mark. But one that teams may want to look deeper into while the Cubs have plenty of RH power up welling.

The bottom line is the Cubs are going to build pitching depth via the draft and acquire quality pitching via trade.

Hammel, Shark and Castro have strong return value. Lake has intangibles. Olt is a toss in.

 

[beckdawg]

They would be more inclined to trade one of their prospects over Castro. They arent keeping all potential OF's. No one knows if Baez and Bryant can stick at their positions and Soler needs to stay healthy and Almora isnt tearing up high A. Getting way to ahead of ourselves.

I'm not putting guys into the line up but if you look at the farm system there's not many hitters that project there. You have Almora and Alcantara obviously. Bruno is making a name for himself but at 2B he's going to be crowded. Soler *might* be able to be a 2 hitter. Eloy Jimenez is another power corner OF. Jacob Hannemann potentially has that sort of make up but he's yet to get above .320 OBP in A-ball. Villanueva and Candelario don't necessarily profile there. Szczur perhaps could. All I'm saying is that it's a bit lean there.

I suppose you could argue that those type of players especially in the OF are cheaper to acquire via FA. I'm just saying currently that area of the minors is as spotty as some of the pitching concerns people have.

 

[beckdawg]

Close to ready college pitcher.. ; ))

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Nice call. That being said, he's another guy that should be an easy sign. They are either being hella cheap or have something in mind. J.B. Bukauskas comes to mind as he appears to be the toughest guy to sign left.

 

[SilenceS]

Def. another cheap signing. Guy will sign quickly. Ceiling is a 3 from what I am reading.

 

[beckdawg]

Def. another cheap signing. Guy will sign quickly. Ceiling is a 3 from what I am reading.

MLB.com puts him in the same range as guys like Paul Blackburn and Corey Black. It's slightly underwhelming but I've read a couple of things that had good comments about him. Hopefully, Schwarber turns out like Bryant as an advanced college bat. Similarly, hopefully he can be a quick moving pitcher

 

[Jeffrey Lebowski]

Def. another cheap signing. Guy will sign quickly. Ceiling is a 3 from what I am reading.

A college senior = no leverage in negotiations.

I really hope J.B. Bukauskus is available when we pick tomorrow. We'll definitely have the money to sign him.

 

[CSF77]

CHICAGO -- Right-hander Jake Stinnett was drafted by the Pirates last June but chose to finish school. The Cubs are glad he did.

On Thursday the Cubs picked Stinnett from Maryland in the second round of the First-Year Player Draft. He was the 45th player taken overall.

Stinnett is a little different from previous pitchers selected. He originally played third base for Maryland and didn't start focusing on pitching until his junior year, in 2013. This year his velocity has reportedly increased, and his slider has improved.

In 2011, Stinnett started 40 games at third base and hit .174, which may explain the switch to pitcher. That year he made five relief appearances and picked up two saves. In 2012 he did well in relief and was named the MVP of his team in the fall World Series of the New England Collegiate League.

Last year he was a closer, then moved into the rotation and compiled a 2.83 ERA. On March 1 he threw a no-hitter against Massachusetts, Maryland's first since 2008.

"He had pretty much everything working," Maryland coach John Szefc said after that game. "It doesn't happen every day that a guy is that sharp. He's able to throw strikes and command the zone almost on command. Whereas last year, when he was still developing, I don't think he had that kind of command. It's hard to beat him, because he's constantly in the zone."

On March 21, Stinnett struck out 14 over eight innings to lead Maryland to a 10-0 win over North Carolina State and Carlos Rodon, who was taken third overall this year by the White Sox. Rodon served up eight unearned runs over 4 2/3 innings in that game and took the loss.

The Cubs, who earlier in the evening selected catcher Kyle Schwarber of Indiana with the fourth pick overall, now have taken position players in the first three years under president of baseball operations Theo Epstein, after choosing outfielder Albert Almora in 2012 and third baseman Kris Bryant in 2013.

After selecting Almora, the Cubs switched their emphasis to pitching, and drafted arms with the next seven picks -- including two in the supplemental round. Epstein placed the emphasis on pitching last year as well, as they chose six hurlers out of seven picks after Bryant.

The Draft continues on Friday with Rounds 3-10. The MLB.com pregame show begins at 11:30 a.m. CT, with exclusive coverage of Rounds 3-10 beginning at noon.

After being selected by Pittsburgh in the 29th round in 2013, Stinnett rejected a $70,000 offer. It wasn't an easy decision.

"I just tried to put some things in perspective for him," Szefc told the Washington Post. "I wasn't trying to sandbag him into coming back. I really felt like if he came back with a plan and if [pitching coach] Jimmy [Belanger] helped him the way he has, that things would work out for him and he would get a better chance to make it to the back end."

It's hard to pass up an offer to play pro ball.

"When it comes down to it, I just wanted another season here with these guys, these coaches and a chance to get closer to getting my degree," Stinnett told the Post. "I just thought it was the best thing for the team and the best thing for myself overall, and I couldn't be happier with my decision."

It paid off. This year, Stinnett posted a 7-6 record and 2.65 ERA in 16 games (15 starts) for Maryland, striking out 130 and walking 27 over 112 innings. He leads the ACC in strikeouts and ranks third nationally, and now holds Maryland's single-season strikeout record.

He helped Maryland sweep the Columbia Regional, and the Terps face Virginia in their first Super Regional appearance this weekend.

"This is what you play for right here," Stinnett said about the tournament. "This program has just taken big leaps since I've been here. I've always had faith in the team and always thought we had talent every single year and always thought we were going to make the tournament."

Carrie Muskat is a reporter for MLB.com. She writes a blog, Muskat Ramblings, and you can follow her on Twitter @CarrieMuskat. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

 

[CSF77]

Really like him. Converted 3B means low millage and he has control out there. Seems like a natural to me.